Metastable intermediates as stepping stones on the maturation pathways of viral capsids.

ABSTRACT:

Unlabelled

As they mature, many capsids undergo massive conformational changes that transform their stability, reactivity, and capacity for DNA. In some cases, maturation proceeds via one or more intermediate states. These structures represent local minima in a rich energy landscape that combines contributions from subunit folding, association of subunits into capsomers, and intercapsomer interactions. We have used scanning calorimetry and cryo-electron microscopy to explore the range of capsid conformations accessible to bacteriophage HK97. To separate conformational effects from those associated with covalent cross-linking (a stabilization mechanism of HK97), a cross-link-incompetent mutant was used. The mature capsid Head I undergoes an endothermic phase transition at 60°C in wh

SUBMITTER: Cardone G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4235213 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature